Kettering professor experiences life on a nuclear submarine

There is no better tool for teachers than firsthand, unique experiences. Thanks to the U.S. Navy’s Educator Orientation Visit (EOV) program, Dr. Jonathan Wenzel, assistant professor of Chemical Engineering, now can give his students concrete examples of what life is like on a nuclear submarine.

“We spent nine hours out on the U.S.S. Hampton in San Diego,” Wenzel said. “The experience gave me a lot of information and examples that I can use in class.”

The EOV program is designed to teach science and engineering professors about career opportunities for students in the Navy. The Navy’s Nuclear Officer Program draws undergrad students with engineering, physics and math backgrounds.

“Because of the type of students we have, Kettering is on the recruiting radar for the officer program,” Wenzel said. “The EOV program lets the Navy talk to instructors and professors about the capabilities of the officer program and career path so that they can go back and share those opportunities with their students.”

Wenzel participated in the EOV program in December 2011. He experienced classroom training sessions, got to take part in simulations – including a scenario where the facility was filling with water and the EOV participants had to fix the leaks – and even got to climb inside a torpedo tube.

“We were underwater for quite a while and got to see how the sub maneuvers,” Wenzel said. “Some of the simulations were just like you see in movies. It was a great experience that I would recommend to any professor who is interested.”